Senior officials from the United States and China are meeting in London on Monday in a renewed effort to stabilise a tense trade relationship that has disrupted global markets.
The high-level talks come just days after a phone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, aimed at easing tensions and re-establishing dialogue.
Trump confirmed the meeting on social media shortly after the call.
Leading the Chinese delegation is Vice Premier He Lifeng, while the U.S. team includes Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The talks are being held at a confidential location in London and are expected to continue for at least a day.
This round of negotiations follows a temporary breakthrough in Geneva last month, where both nations agreed to a 90-day suspension of the steep tariffs—some exceeding 100 percent—that they had imposed during a protracted trade war.
That truce, announced on May 12, was seen as a step toward de-escalation.
However, since then, bilateral tensions have flared again—particularly over issues such as U.S. restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports, China’s grip on rare earth minerals essential to manufacturing, and tightened visa policies for Chinese students studying in America.
The British government, while not participating in the discussions, is hosting the event.
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In a statement, it emphasised the importance of dialogue in avoiding further economic fallout: “We are a nation that champions free trade and have always been clear that a trade war is in nobody’s interests, so we welcome these talks.”
As global investors watch closely, the outcome of the London discussions could signal whether the world’s two largest economies are ready to turn the page on a damaging trade conflict—or heading for another round of confrontation.
